Guzmania plant named ‘Deplatima’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Guzmania plant named ‘Deplatima’ characterized by its big inflorescence size, red scape bracts with green tips, wide leaves and upright growth habit.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Guzmania hybrid.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Deplatima’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Guzmaniaplant, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Deplatima’. Thegenus Guzmania is a member of the family Bromeliaceae.

Guzmania comprise a genus of over 100 species of herbaceous evergreenperennials suitable for cultivation in the home or under glass. Guzmaniaare predominantly epiphytic with a few terrestrial species and arenative to the tropics. For the most part the species vary in diameterfrom 7 or 8 inches to 3 or 4 feet and have rosettes of glossy, smoothedged leaves.

Floral bracts of Guzmania frequently have brilliant colors and may lastfor many months. The range of flower colors for Guzmania is generallyfrom the yellow through orange but may also include flame red andred-purple. White or yellow, tubular, three petalled flowers may alsoappear on a stem or within the leaf rosette but are usually short lived.

Guzmania may be advantageously grown as potted plants for greenhouse orhome use. Desirably the plants are shaded from direct sunlight duringthe spring to autumn period, the central vase-like part of the leafrosette is normally filled with water.

Guzmania is native to tropical America. Leaves of the Guzmania areusually formed as basal rosettes which are stiff and entire and inseveral vertical ranks. Guzmania have terminal spikes or panicles whichare often bracted with petals united in a tube about as long as thecalyx.

Asexual propagation of Guzmania is frequently done through the use oftissue culture practices. Propagation can also be from off-shoots whichare detached from the mother plant, and may be grown in an appropriatesoil or bark mixture.

The new cultivar ‘Deplatima’ is the product of a planned breedingprogram originated by the inventor Ronald Bunnik in 1992, in Pijnacker,The Netherlands. The female and male parents are unknown Guzmaniavarieties. The selection comprising the new variety was chosen aftercommencement of flowering in 1993.

The new cultivar was asexually propagated by tissue culture in November1995, by Kwekerij Sidaco BV in Nootdorp, The Netherlands. Continuousasexual propagation has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar ‘Deplatima’ arefirmly fixed, reproduce true to type and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of ‘Deplatima’ which in combination distinguishthis Guzmania as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Big inflorescence size;

2. Red scape bracts with green tips;

3. Wide leaves; and

4. Upright growth habit.

‘Deplatima’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantlywith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, andday length without any change in genotype.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to ‘Deplatima’ is the cultivar ‘Tutti Frutti’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,717). In comparison to ‘Tutti Frutti’, theinflorescence of ‘Deplatima’ is smaller, much redder and is flatter andshorter. The leaves of ‘Deplatima’ are wider than the leaves of ‘TuttiFrutti’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographic illustrations show a 19-month-old ‘Deplatima’ plantgrown in an 11 cm pot, following growth under appropriate growingconditions, with colors being as true as possible with illustrations ofthis type.

The first drawing depicts a typical plant of ‘Deplatima’ from a top viewperspective.

The second drawing depicts a close-up view of the inflorescence andfoliage of ‘Deplatima’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe 19 monthold plants grown in 11 cm containers in Evergem, Belgium, undergreenhouse conditions which closely approximate those generally used inhorticultural practice.

‘Deplatima’ is grown in a commercial greenhouse under 21 degrees Celsiusday and night. No artificial lighting or photoperiodic treatments areconducted but ‘Deplatima’ is forced into flowering by adding acetylene.Highest temperature resistance is 40 degrees Celsius, the lowest 5degrees Celsius. Direct sunlight has to be avoided because it causesburning of the leaves. The following fertilizer is added: 1 partnitrogen, 0.5 parts phosphor. 3 parts Kalium and 0.2 parts Magnesium.Water should not contain to much salts. From the start of tissue cultureit takes five years to produce a commercial plant. The amount of timeneeded to produce an inflorescence depends on the amount of acetylene isadded. The inflorescences have a tenability of up to six monthsdepending on the environment they are grown and kept in.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.), except where general colors of ordinary significance areused.

Propagation: Tissue culture.

Plant:

Form.—Upright, leaves in basal rosette.

Height.—Average 40 cm.

Diameter.—Average 70 cm.

Growth habit.—Upright, growth moderate.

Foliage:

Size.—Leaves have an average length of 41 cm and an average width of 5.5cm (measured at the middle of a leaf).

Shape.—Broad linear, tips acute.

Margin.—Entire.

Surface texture.—Smooth, glossy.

Color.—Leaf color upper side; dark green to dark yellow-green; inbetween RHS 139A and RHS 147A, but slightly darker. Leaf color underside yellow-green, RHS 147A, young leaves dark greyed-purple atunderside, RHS 186C; older leaves sometimes striped greyed-purple at thebase as well, between RHS 187B and RHS 187C.

Bracts:

General shape/arrangement.—Broad lanceolate, arranged alternately, tipsarranged horizontally.

Scape bracts.—Number: Average 10. Length: Average 13.5 cm. Width:Average 3.9 cm. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Color: Upper side red RHS46A; upper half to tips yellow-green RHS 147A; under side greyed-purpleRHS 185A with yellow-green tips RHS 147A. Texture: Smooth, glossy.

Primary bracts.—Number: Average 10. Length: Average 10.7 cm. Width:Average 4.1 cm. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Color: Upper side red RHS45A, with red RHS 46A to brown RHS 200A tips; under side red RHS 53Bwith red RHS 46A to brown RHS 200A tips. Texture: Smooth, glossy.

Floral bracts.—Number: Average 9. Length: Average 5.6 cm. Width: Average1.8 cm. Margin: Entire. Apex: Apiculate. Color: Upper side red RHS 53Bto between RHS 44B and RHS 44C; red RHS 46A; under side red between RHS53B and RHS 53C, with red RHS 46A and orange RHS N25A tips. Texture:Smooth, not glossy.

Inflorescence:

Borne.—Solitary upright inflorescence, only very few inflorescencesappear; each inflorescence consists of approximately 9 flowers.

Inflorescence length.—Average 2.6 cm.

Individual flowers.—Average length 2.5 cm, average with 0.5 cm.

Perianth.—One large petal, broad lanceolate, slightly folded, averagelength 4.3 cm, average width 9 mm, outer color yellow-green between RHS151D and RHS 151A; base lighter between RHS 154C and 154D. Calyx:Average length 2.5 cm, white in color, RHS 151D (both surfaces).Corolla: Average length 1 cm, yellow in color, RHS 12A (both surfaces).

Time of blooming.—Summer.

Duration of inflorescence.—More than one month.

Reproductive organs:

Ovary.—Ovate, average length 6 mm, average width 3.5 mm, lightyellow-green in color, RHS 150D to green-white, RHS 157A. Ovary ribbedaxially, due to three locules.

Style.—1 per flower, average length 1.2 cm, white in color, RHS155C,stigma not deeply cleft in two parts, approximately 2 mm long, white incolor RHS 155C.

Stamens.—Average 6, basifixed, shaped narrow sagittate, average length 6mm, average width 1 mm, color green-white; RHS 157A.

Pollen.—Small quantity, light yellow in color, closest to RHS 4C.

Roots: Thin, very well-branched, strong to moderately strong, colorgreyed-orange; RHS 165A.

Seed characteristics: No fruits or seeds observed to date.

Pest/disease resistance/susceptibility: No observations to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Guzmania plant named ‘Deplatima’,substantially as illustrated and described herein.